


Family Portrait

by ratchetzelda



Series: The Golden Dragon [7]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Family, Femslash, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Parent-Child Relationship, Storybrooke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 08:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13291146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratchetzelda/pseuds/ratchetzelda
Summary: Part of The Golden Dragon series. Maleficent is bored and dabbles at painting. Maleficent and Henry bonding. Regina and Maleficent feels.





	Family Portrait

There weren’t any pictures of them from the old days. It wasn’t that she was jealous of the memories Regina had now, with other people. _No_. It was more that she wanted something of her very own.

 

No matter how hard times had been before, Maleficent wanted to capture a moment with that _unsure_ young girl she who had stolen her heart.

 

Especially since, in this realm, she hadn’t really found her purpose yet. And while Emma and Regina had left town to find Lily, well, Mal was lonely — and _bored_.

 

The pictures of Regina and Henry, dotted around Regina’s house, got her _thinking_.

 

That’s when Henry found her when he came home from school that day. In the living room, up to her elbows in paint.

 

“If mom was here she’d have a heart attack.”

 

Mal turned around quickly, having forgotten both the time and the day.

 

“Oh, Henry! I’m sorry I didn’t realise you’d finished school. Regina left us some lasagne. I would have had it ready by now.”

 

But it seemed the boy didn’t mind in the slightest, which relieved the dragon. Sometimes it was odd, to think of herself as a mother, having never _mothered_ anyone. Sometimes, Henry felt like a part of her too. Not that she wanted to encroach on Emma or Regina, but, she was very fond of him. 

 

Like a mother ought to be.

 

“What are you painting?” He gestured toward the easel, and stepped closer. He dropped his schoolbag on the sofa.

 

Maleficent suddenly realised her crude attempt at a portrait of Regina was… _lacking_. Yes, she could have fixed it with magic, but she didn’t want to. Well, not until now — she hadn’t quite expected anyone to see it yet.

 

“Your mother,” she answered honestly, biting her lip. “When she was young — I know it looks nothing like her-“

 

“No. I think it’s great!” Henry offered, glancing back toward his Dragon ‘step-mom’. “Mom never said you painted.”

 

“Well, on occasion I suppose,” she laughed, “But then again I’m _ancient_. I have tried almost everything.”

 

“Except ice skating until the other day,” Henry was laughing too.

 

“Yes — expect ice-skating.”

 

She surprised herself. This world was bringing out parts of her she never realised existed. Changing her. Like it had Regina.

 

“Well I think you captured her well. Though, she’s not all…” he trailed off, staring at the canvas. Mal knew what he was hinting at.

 

“Evil Queen?” She finished, raising an eyebrow. 

 

“Yeah,” he bashfully answered. “I-I mean. Mom. Every time I’ve seen her in the book, or, she’s told me things — or _shown_ me things she’s brought over here. She never looked so _normal_.”

 

“While your mother did develop a sense of style, the more powerful she grew, I first knew her this way.”

 

Maleficent let out a breath she hadn’t even realised she’d been holding. She couldn’t help but feel that she was a big part in darkening Regina’s heart, even though she had wanted nothing more than to _love_ her. She had helped her hone her magic — she drove her away in the end.

 

“I’m sure she’ll love it,” Henry broke her out of her thoughts, and she offered him a smile in return.

 

“Come on. Let’s go warm that lasagne.”

 

Later that night. After she had made sure he was tucked up in bed safe. After she had cleaned up her mess. Maleficent sat in the living room, looking at the half-finished picture.

 

She missed Regina. God she did.

 

She missed her voice. Her smell. The way she would tell her not to do certain things, no matter how bossy it was. And the way she would run around cleaning up after Mal — because mess wasn’t allowed either.

 

Or the way she made her the golden dragon to help remind her of Lily.

 

Or the way she reassured her, and held her when she was afraid.

 

Or the way she was, well, the woman she loved.

 

Regina had taught her at length how to use a telephone, but honestly, Maleficent still didn’t really know how to work the damn thing. Why did she need such things when she had _magic_?

 

She stood up in front of the mirror in the living room and ‘called’ Regina.

 

Her face lit up when she saw her love appear.

 

“Mal — it’s late. Is everything alright dear? You should have called. I showed you how-“

 

“Missed you too Regina,” Maleficent cut her off, pouting like a child.

 

“Don’t be like that. Is Henry asleep?”

 

Maleficent nodded,

“Is Emma asleep?”

 

“Yes. She’s in her own room. I insisted I couldn’t share with her again — damned woman snores like a wildebeest.”

 

“Or a dragon?” Mal joked — how she wished she was there too. If she could have been…

 

“Or a dragon.”

 

Maleficent never thought to mention the picture. Her heart was focused on more serious matters, like their daughter. That didn’t mean Regina hadn’t noticed.

 

“What have you been up to?” She asked, mirth clearly written in her voice. It seemed that despite the situation, Regina missed her too.

 

“Oh — nothing. Is there any news?”

 

“Nothing yet. We think we’re close. I will call you as soon as we find her. Now, what have you been doing? Tell me.”

 

The dragon visibly pouted again.

 

“I was — _bored_ ,” she sighed, stepping to the side so Regina could see the half-finished picture on the easel.

 

There was a silence for a few minutes. Maleficent was unsure if Regina was happy, or sad about it — or even if her magic has somehow stopped working properly. But, she watched her love’s seemingly puzzled face turn into a smile.

 

“It’s so sweet of you my dear.”

 

Maleficent rolled her eyes,

“I’m not supposed to be sweet. I’m _supposed_ to be a big bad dragon.”

 

“Well,” Regina laughed softly, “You’re _my_ big bad dragon, and you love me enough to paint me.”

 

“Stop — you’re making me blush.”

 

It was nice, however sickly sweet they were together, to know that they were a family. A strange but very real family. And Regina, was bringing their daughter home.

 

“I’ll need a picture of you when I get home,” Regina spoke. “I want something as beautiful as that of you.”

 

“Maybe, or, maybe it could be our first family picture?”

 

Maleficent saw Regina’s eyes light up at the prospect.

 

“Our first family portrait.”

 

“Oh — I don’t think I can manage to paint us all.”

 

“Darling — that’s why we have cameras.”

 

“Or magic.”

 

By the way they were laughing, by the way they loved each other, Mal had this warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. One that for once was nothing to do with being a dragon. No. She just knew that everything was going to be alright.

 

They were a family after all.

 


End file.
